Crater Mountain Lookout Site
WillhiteWeb.com
Crater Mountain is a rugged mountain. Putting a cab on this summit puts it in the same category as Three Fingers, McGregor and Pugh. But before the cab, in 1929, Crater had a rag house camp on top. If a fire watcher spotted a smoke, he had to take a reading with the firefinder, then hike 7.5 miles down to Frank Beebes cabin where there was a phone line out to Marblemount. Frank Beebe and his family lived at a Guard Station at the base of Granite Creek.
In 1932, after three years as a camp, a cab was built on the summit. To get water late in summer, the lookout would have to go down the steep north side to the top of Jerry Glacier and break off chunks of ice and pack them back up to the lookout to melt in a washtub in the sun. Materials and supplies were hauled up by cable, then hiked the summit plateau to the lookout.
In 1951 manned by Earle and Bonnie St. Aubin
In 1952 manned by Gary Snyder
In 1955 the door was nailed shut on the lookout by Tommy Buller. He carried the firefinder down to the new Crater Lookout on the East peak. The newer L-4 cab was constructed atop a lower summit 1 mile to the east.
Lookout Elevations: 8,128 feet
Hiking Distance: 7 miles one-way
Elevation Gain 6,400 feet
Access: Paved Parking
Magazine article called "My Forest Service Days" by Austin Post
Lucky McLeod, a Native American packer who worked for the Forest Service during the late 40s and early 50s said about Crater: "Whoever put that lookout up there just must have been mad at the world."
Looking North, August 9, 1935
Looking Southeast, August 9, 1935
Looking Southwest, August 9, 1935
George Hadley, first Crater Mountain lookout, 1929
Crater Mountain lookout on the top, 1948, Austin Post photo
Gary Snyder on Crater Mountain 1952
Crater Mountain from the Devils Dome area
The scrambling was mostly easy but exposed class 3 with maybe one low class 4 move or two.
Looking up at some of the rock section with 2 climbers on the route
The rock area of Crater Mountain
One phone pole still standing near treeline
Jack Mountain from the summit
The North Cascades Highway going up Granite Creek Valley
From summit looking East
The lake in route to the summit
Gaining the long south ridge
Just above the highway.....way above.
Looking North. Jerry Lakes below
Center post still standing. Ruby Mountain on left. Colonial/Snowfield group on left behind Ruby. Mt. Baker on right.
At the top of the cliff section has remnants of the tramway that got supplies to the summit.
The summit is a easy walk from top of the cliff section
Roger McRae in photo 1938 with load of wood going up to burn
Walt Ellsbury in 1938 with cable lines
Crater Mountain Lookout 1938
Summit from the top of the cables and cliffs in 1939. Phone line is visible along trail.